Patents Represented by Attorney Louis Weinstein
  • Patent number: 5758208
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus of the present invention comprises an elastically-deformative band-like flexible printed-circuit (FPC) board having one end thereof fixed to a lens holding frame 4 supported movably in an optical-axis direction O and capable of electrically connecting the main unit of the imaging apparatus with the lens holding frame, and an FPC board take-up mechanism for fixing and supporting the other end of the FPC board and applying a tension to the FPC board so that the FPC board will not loosen. The FPC board take-up mechanism feeds or winds the FPC board according to advancement or withdrawal of the lens holding frame. Using this apparatus, a space within a lens barrel to be occupied by the FPC board for electrically connecting the main unit with the lens holding frame can be minimized. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented in an imaging apparatus in which a lens holding frame makes a long stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Fujii, Koji Mizobuchi
  • Patent number: 5758205
    Abstract: A lens barrel constructed of a cam slot, a lens cylinder, a memory means, a detecting means, a motor driving means and a control means. The cam slot has a discontinuous area formed in a portion corresponding to a parting line of a molding die used for molding. The lens cylinder ass a cam follower engaging with this cam slot. The memory means stores information indicating where the discontinuous area exists in the cam slot. The detecting means detects where the cam follower is positioned in the cam slot. The motor driving means makes the lens cylinder progress and retreat in the optical-axis direction by relatively driving the cam slot and the lens cylinder. The control means controls the motor driving means to drive the lens cylinder up to a position deviating from the discontinuous area when the cam follower is in the discontinuous area by comparing memory information of the memory mens with detection information of the detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Hara, Kazuhiro Satoh, Eiji Otsuka
  • Patent number: 5752291
    Abstract: A butt hinge is comprised of first and second swingably coupled hinge plates. At least one of the hinge plates is provided with clearance openings to enable the said one hinge plate to be moved over a given range relative to portions of wood screws passing through said clearance openings. A trim plate overlies the said one hinge plate. The wood screws are tightened, sandwiching the said one hinge plate between a base of a mortise and the trim plate to maintain the hinge plate in proper alignment. Engaging surfaces of the hinge plate and trim plate may be roughened to enhance the clamping therebetween. The hinge plate may be provided with set screws threadedly engaging tapped openings in the hinge plate so as to project from the hinge plate surface to compensate for applications in which a depth of a mortise is greater than the combined thickness of the hinge plate and trim plate to bring the exposed surface of the trim plate flush with the surface in which the mortise is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Snyder
  • Patent number: 5751886
    Abstract: A video image processing apparatus comprising with a frame memory for temporarily storing field video data from a recording medium, an interpolation processor module for interpolating the field video data stored in the frame memory and a memory control module for controlling writing to and reading from the frame memory, and a CPU for determining field attribute information. In interpolation processing the write line position of the field video data to the frame memory is modified to the odd line position or even line position, depending on whether the field attribute information about the field video data is odd or even. According to the video image processing apparatus, no discrepancy between the odd field and even field takes place when the field video data is interpolated and reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Komine
  • Patent number: 5748390
    Abstract: An imaging lens system comprises an axial support section, such as a support hole, a notch, and a guide sleeve, integrally formed with a lens and arranged generally within the maximum diameter of the lens but outside an effective area of the lens through which an imaging light is transmitted. The imaging lens system also comprises a guide shaft that slidably supports the axial support section for a advancing and recessing motion of the lens. The area outside the imaging light transmitting area is effectively used. A small component count, compact and low-cost design is implemented in the imaging lens system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Koiwai, Sumio Kawai, Tatsuo Kitazawa, Hisashi Goto
  • Patent number: 5742860
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention has an arrangement that a film is discharged to a side toward a subject after a picture has been taken, the instant camera comprising a grip portion formed on a right portion of a camera body when viewed in a normal photography state and from a position of a photographer operating the camera, an optical system disposed on a left portion of the camera body when viewed from the said position of the photographer and including at least a photographing lens, and a film cartridge loading portion which is capable of loading a film cartridge into a position between the grip portion of the camera body and the optical system in such a manner that an exposure surface of the film accommodated in the film cartridge faces the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Minoru Matsuzaki, Kazunori Mizokami, Yuta Sato, Yoshitaka Naito, Fumio Tomikawa, Masaharu Hamada
  • Patent number: 5739520
    Abstract: A scanner guide slides along a guide rail aligned with a scanning path of the scanner. A positioner with projections or holes on the guide rail cooperates with holes or projections in the guide to identify a position of the scanner within bounds equal to or less than a maximum scanning path. The scanner is swingable between a scanning position overlying a bar code and an upright non-use position displaced from the bar code scanning surface. A bar code of extended length can be precisely verified as well as a shorter bar code by the bar code reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignees: Nippon Denso Co., Ltd., Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Atsumi, Yasuhiro Kamijo, Yoshiki Furukawa, Naoki Matumura
  • Patent number: 5739962
    Abstract: A lens assembly includes a third lens group frame having an end face extending in an optical-axis direction and provided with an end-face cam having displacement along a peripheral direction, for retaining a third group of lenses, a second lens group frame having a cam follower abutted against the end-face cam for retaining a second group of lenses, a second lens group spring for biasing the second lens group frame toward the third lens group frame, rotational regulator for regulating rotation of one of the third lens group frame and the second lens group frame around an optical axis, and a rotator for rotating the other of the third lens group frame and the second lens group frame around an optical axis when zoom operation is performed, wherein the end-face cam and a cam follower are operated by relative angular movement of the third lens group frame and the second lens group frame, around the optical axis at the time the zoom operation is performed to modify spacing therebetween in the optical-axis directio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yasuo Asakura, Mitsuhiro Sato, Shinya Takahashi, Keita Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5735276
    Abstract: A system and method for analyzing matter by computer analysis of electrical signals generated by sensing radiation reflected from matter (i.e. tissue, cells, liquid, gaseous or solid particles in a liquid or gas) and/or generated due to fluorescence. In one embodiment, a short pulse of laser radiation is directed at matter also scanned by an electro-optical scanning means to generate image signals. Fluorescent radiation and reflected radiation generating image signals, generate respective variable electrical signals which are computer processed and analyzed to detect and determine the chemical and/or biological composition of the matter. A television camera scans the matter and generates video signals for computer processing and analysis. Simultaneously or sequentially, pulsed laser energy is directed against plural locations of scanned matter, wherein each of such pulses generates a short duration of fluorescent energy in different select portions of the matter under analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Inventor: Jerome Lemelson
  • Patent number: 5735991
    Abstract: Method for producing pads in which a laminated pad sheet is fed from a supply roll through a combined sealer/cutter. The laminated pad sheet is indexed into the sealer/cutter with a support sheet of a predetermined thickness. The sealer/cutter moves a perimeter pattern defining a sealing electrode into engagement with the laminated pad. Electrical energy is applied across the sealing electrode and a conductive, grounded plate forming a pad per/meter seal. A support plate upon which the perimeter forming electrode is mounted is moved further toward the pad when the power is turned off, causing a cutting edge surrounding the sealing electrode to pierce completely through the laminate pad and only partially through the support sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bruce Strongwater
  • Patent number: 5737165
    Abstract: Apparatus for replacing conventional fault isolation resistors includes a terminal coupled to one winding of a transformer whose other winding is coupled across the two-line databus. Enhancement-mode-field-effect transistors have their source and drain electrodes each coupled between one end of the other winding and one of the databus lines and their control electrodes coupled at spaced intervals along the other winding. The winding voltage is zero when a terminal is not transmitting, turning off the field-effect transistors, presenting an open circuit. The parasitic body diodes of the transistors are connected in series and are poled to oppose each other to prevent conduction of signals from the databus. Thus, signals on the databus are not loaded by the terminal's output impedance. When winding voltage exceeds a threshold, one transistor conducts, providing substantially a short-circuit. The parasitic body diode of the remaining transistor also conducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: ILC Data Device Corporation
    Inventor: Barry E. Becker
  • Patent number: 5734499
    Abstract: An interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism for use in a binocular telescope, having a pair of lens-barrels which contain lens optical systems, respectively, and are placed in parallel with each other. The interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism further has first and second guide shafts, which slidably guide the pair of lens-barrels in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the optical axes of the lens optical systems, interpupillary distance adjusting springs for pushing the pair of lens-barrels in a sliding direction, and an interpupillary distance adjusting cam which can adjust an interpupillary distance by sliding the pair of lens-barrels along the guide shafts as the result of undergoing a pushing force from the interpupillary distance adjusting spring, of converting a part of the pushing force in a direction which intersects the sliding direction, and of moving the pair of lens-barrels by pushing the pair of lens-barrels against the first guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Matsumoto, Fumio Tomikawa
  • Patent number: 5733376
    Abstract: Apparatus for sequentially coating opposite major surfaces of a workpiece such as a printed circuit board and wherein the amount of manual handling is significantly reduced. Boards are arranged end-to-end preferably in closely spaced fashion upon a conveyor having an adjustable drive. First and second spray assemblies provide a low pressure spray having a substantially oval-shaped spray pattern and are arranged upon guide tracks to move in a reciprocating fashion in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the conveyor for coating opposing surfaces of the workpiece. The speed of movement of the spray heads and the extreme ends of the range of movement are adjustable by controlling the operation of a drive motor to create a substantially Z-shaped spray pattern on the workpiece with the size of the Z-shaped pattern being a function of the conveyor speed spray head assembly, drive speed and range of movement of each spray head assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Argus International
    Inventor: Bernard J. Costello
  • Patent number: 5734931
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus is equipped with a photographing optical system, a film holding member on which the photographing optical system is fixed, a supporting frame which rotatably supports the film holding member around a shaft, an outer supporting frame which rotatably supports the supporting frame around the shaft, a finder optical system which has an optical axis different from that of the photographing optical system and which is mounted on the top surface of the outer supporting frame, an AF distance measuring section for measuring the distance to an object, and a captive cam for driving the film holding member and a captive cam for driving the supporting frames for correcting parallax in accordance with the output of the AF distance measuring section. The captive cams are driven also for correcting the blur of an exposure image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Inoue, Hideto Kitazawa, Koji Kato, Tatsuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5732297
    Abstract: A camera for setting the aspect ratio of a photographic image plane and recording information of the set aspect ratio has a full-size frame defining a full-size finder image plane corresponding to a photographing image plane, a vertical mask for vertical trimming of the finder image plane, a lateral mask for lateral trimming of the finder image plane, a shaft supporting the masks, and a camshaft with a cam groove engaged by each of the masks. The masks are moved along the shaft by rotating the camshaft. The visual field range of the finder image plane is changed among a plurality of states corresponding to different aspect ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Tanaka, Yasuo Asakura, Yuji Kobayashi, Masatoshi Sato, Keita Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5727861
    Abstract: A flash emitting apparatus has a straight-tube type flash discharge tube and a reflector for accommodating the flash discharge tube which condenses and reflects an emission of the flash discharge tube to direct light forward, the apparatus including: a pair of electrodes disposed on opposing end portions of said flash discharge tube; discharge tube supports for supporting the flash discharge tube on said reflector; a frame member having said flash discharge tube and said reflector disposed therein; and restriction members formed internally of said frame member for restricting movement of said flash discharge tube in a longitudinal direction coaxial with a line connecting the pair of electrodes so as to retain the flash discharge tube within a certain range with respect to the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsumi Motohashi
  • Patent number: 5729288
    Abstract: An electronic image pickup apparatus comprising a focal plane shutter for controlling reception or cut-off of the light from an object, a CMD, image pickup device as a MOS-type internal amplification sensor, RGB channel process circuits for processing RGB outputs from the CMD, and a system controller for controlling the entire apparatus. The focal plane shutter lets in the light from the object to photograph for exposure. The resulting image data is temporarily stored in a memory. With no light from the object projected onto the CMD, a dark exposure is performed for the same time as the exposure to extract a signal corresponding to dark current. Reading the image data from the memory and reading the data at the dark exposure are performed at the same time. The dark current component is removed by subtracting the dark exposure data from the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuniaki Saito
  • Patent number: 5727245
    Abstract: A camera having: a viewfinder optical system including a stationary objective lens, first and second prisms, a stationary eyepiece lens, and first and second variable-power lenses, that advance or withdraw in the optical-axis direction responsive to zooming movement of a photographing lens array, a viewfinder structure member for retaining the viewfinder optical system, an eyepiece variable-power lens inserted into the optical path of the viewfinder optical system, a viewfinder panoramic field mask united with an eyepiece variable-power lens frame for retaining the eyepiece variable-power lens, a lens constraining spring that, when the viewfinder panoramic field mask is inserted into the optical path of the viewfinder optical system, constrains the eyepiece variable-power lens to abut against the viewfinder structure member for accurate positioning, upper and lower interceptive masks for changing picture size, a first rack extending in a direction in which the interceptive masks move, a second rack extending
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Asakura, Setsuya Kataoka, Yoshihiro Maeda, Keita Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5721975
    Abstract: In a camera using a film cartridge that holds a film with a load exerted on the film in the direction of the width of the film, a time counting block for time counting at each predetermined action of the camera, a time information memory block for storing the time from the time counting block, a film feed condition determining block for determining the condition of film feed, a time information determining block for computing a film hold time based on the latest time counted by the time counting block and the time stored in the time information memory block, and a camera setting update block for updating the camera setting according to the hold time to compensate for film curling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sato, Tamotsu Koiwai, Yasuo Asakura, Yoji Watanabe
  • Patent number: D391976
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Fukuda